March 21, 2014 at 2:39 p.m.
Rhinelander man owes life to knowledge of traditional skills
Rhinelander man owes life to knowledge of traditional skills
By By Anne Williams-
By the time they made it onto shore, hypothermia set in. Their matches were wet and they soon realized their five-mile hike back to the truck was unattainable. Fortunately, Morken knew how to make a fire using flint and steel, and it worked.
"We got warm," he said. "It saved our life. No question about it."
Since that day, Morken, a Rhinelander native and contractor by trade, has spent decades practicing traditional skills, such as primitive fire making, leatherworking, rope making, tomahawk throwing and wilderness survival.
Morken will be teaching these skills during a traditional skills workshop March 29-30 at Treehaven, a natural resources education, conference and research center located near Tomahawk. This program is open to the public and registration can be found online at www.uwsp.edu/treehaven.
Morken's passion for learning traditional skills came after spending much of his time in the outdoors when he was younger. Later, he became a whitewater canoe guide and worked at several local camps such as Fort Wilderness and Crescent Lake Bible Camp.
"Just like anyone else, we all have different passions," Morken said. "Once I got a taste for learning these traditional skills, I became seriously interested in it."
According to Morken, learning primitive skills is not something people should find intimidating. He believes anyone can learn the skills.
"When you're in the backcountry everyone is equal," he said. "You all start on equal terms, except for skill levels. But no matter the skill level, there's always something that can be learned. In all my years of teaching I've learned that once people realize that learning these skills is tangible and doable, they prefer to use them over technology."
Morken believes his knowledge of primitive skills can boost self-confidence, particularly in youth.
"Who doesn't like to go on a hike and in back of their mind feel confident they have the knowledge that they know enough to survive?" he said. "These skills allow kids and families to get back into the woods."
Participants who attend Morken's traditional skills retreat at Treehaven will not only learn a variety of traditional skills, Morken said, but they will also get to take home their own tomahawk, sewing kit and self-made leather pouch.
Beyond time spent in formal educational settings, Morken teaches his two children at home how to live self-sufficiently on their 14-acre lot west of Rhinelander. His family collects maple syrup, forages for wild rice, gardens and makes their own homemade apple cider.
"I love living this lifestyle," Morken said.
For more information about the traditional skills weekend retreat at Treehaven, visit www.uwsp.edu/treehaven or call 715-453-4106. Treehaven is located at W2540 Pickerel Creek Road, Tomahawk, WI 54487.
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